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Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Motor Mondays: ​Turbo power takes on Kia Soul critics

Kia Soul still rules while other small boxes
like Nissan Cube and Scion xB fade into history. In fact with 145,748
units sold in 2016, it is Kia’s best-seller.

That
said, I’ve heard plenty of complaints, mostly from auto reviewers,
about Soul’s humdrum driving experience. It’s never been sporty, but
I’ve always liked the Soul for its fun personality, unique looks and
practicality.

So
to widen its appeal for 2017, Kia brings turbo power to its Exclaim
model. That still doesn’t make Soul a sporty ride, but does raise the
fun factor – especially in Sport mode. But price also takes a leap.

While
the Soul Base still starts at an affordable $16,995 with the 1.6-liter,
130-horsepower engine and 6-speed manual transmission, you have to move
to the top-line Exclaim for the 201-horse turbo. It’s matched to a
dual-clutch automatic transmission and prices from $23,695. The
mid-level Plus splits the difference at 161 horsepower.

So
it’s great to have more choice. The curious thing is, the turbo plant
ekes out a win on fuel economy at 28 miles per gallon in combined
city-highway driving versus 27 for all other models.

You
definitely notice the turbo’s increased zip. You also get red accents,
18-inch wheels and a flat-bottom leather steering wheel. And it handles
better than you might think for its tall stance. But it can be a little
noisier than the other models.

As
before, Exclaim also gets you a nice lineup of standards, including
push-button start, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert.
Kia’s UVO3 infortainment package also is standard and includes Android
Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Forward
collision and lane-departure warning systems, however, only are
available on the Plus. Navigation, a panoramic sunroof and leather are
among options.

Introduced
as a 2010 model, Soul was redesigned for 2014 with only a few packaging
changes until the addition of the turbo this year.

Soul
came out of the 2014 makeover a bit more sophisticated than Gen 1, in
particular addressing criticism over the use of too many cheap plastics.

Given
the price, of course, you can’t expect a Mercedes here. But you will
find a softer touch with better materials on the instrument panel,
center console and doors.

The
new generation also has slightly more room with plenty of space for
five to cruise comfortably around town. Cargo capacity with rear seats
in use also jumped from 19.3 to 24.2 cubes.

Fuel
economy isn’t bad if you think of Soul as a small crossover, especially
in turbo guise, but some such as Mazda CX-3 do better. If saving at the
pump is a priority, though, Kia’s come up with yet another option with
the new Niro, a small cross with hybrid power.